Surface driven winder

ABSTRACT

A yarn package is driven by the inner periphery of a rotating drum. Yarn fed in from the open end of the drum passes over a compensating yarn guide and a main yarn guide which are driven by cam slots in the inner periphery of the drum. The yarn guides maintain constant yarn tension, with zero lash, and also undergo an anti-ribboning motion.

United States Patent mi gg 1 Dec. 18, 1973 [54] SURFACE DRIVEN WINDER 642,281 I/ 1900 Baker 242/26 I 3,347,490 10/1967 Browning 242/l58.3 [75] lnvemor' Beryl h 3,467,326 9/1969 Ruf 242/43 [73] Assignee: Advex Corporation Primary ExaminerStanley N. Gilreath [22] Flled' Sept 1971 Attorney-James H. Littelpage [21] Appl..No.: 180,763 4 I [57] ABSTRACT [52] U.S. CI. 242/18 DD, 242/26, 242/43,

242/1535, 242/46 4 A yarn package IS driven by themner periphery of a [5! 1 1m. Cl B65h 54/00, B65h 54/28 mating drum Yam fed in from the n end. the 581 Field of Search 242/18 DD, 26, 43, PasseS Over a Compensating Y guide and 242/533 1585 main yarn guide which are driven by cam slots in the I inner periphery of the drum. The yarn guides maintain [56] keference'sched constant yarn tension, with zero lash, and also un- UNITED STATES PATENTS dergo an anti-ribboning motion.

i 13 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures 2,524,623 lO/l950 Colombu .242/43 J 5/ 53 36a 34 52 44 36b l V/ J 16 I8 k L A 56 I4 32 42 26 104\\a5//4o 3s 3s 40 so 4648 10s 28 as 126 M4 I26 E I2) PMENTED DEC 18 E975 SHEET 2 BF 3 PATENTED DEC 1 8 I975 SHEET 30? 3 wor- 1 7 SURFACE DRIVEN WINDER FIELD OF INVENTION vWinding and Reeling, Quick Traverse, By Drum Guide Means.

' PRIOR ART BRIEF SUMMARY or THE INVENTION It has heretofore been proposed to drive a yarn package by engaging it against the inner periphery of a rotating drum, and to utilize a cam slot through the drum for traversing the yarn. While this theoretically providessome advantages, in that the peripheral velocity of the yarn package remains constant, the feed of the yarn through the cam slot in the drum requires a twopart drum, which entails considerable mechanical problems, the tension of the yarn varies, with consequent lash, there is windage, and ribboning results from wind-on along a constantly repeating traverse path.

The object now is to obtain the advantages of package drive by the inner periphery of an undivided drum and yet to have a constant tension yarn guide system, with no lash and no appreciable windage. To achieve this it is intended to utilize" cam slots running around the inner periphery of the drum for driving a pair of I yarn guides, one of which maybe termed a main guide and the other of which is an equalizing guide, wherein the main guide traversesthe full length of a yarn package while the equalizing guide moves half that distance. With this arrangement and with the yarn feeding axially into the open end of the drum froman exterior feed point or guide, the distance from the'feed point to the main yarn guide always remains the same, and hence the tension remains the same and there is no lash; and since almost all the movement ,of the yarn'is lengthwise, there is no appreciable windage.

In addition to the above, it is intended to provide an anti-ribboning motion for the yarn guides, wherein they slowly but constantly vary the distance between themselves and the point at which the yarn winds onto the package. It is particularly intended that this motion be sufficiently slight and slow that no lash results, but nevertheless enough to prevent ribboning.

Still furtherobjects are the provision of an expansible spindle for supporting a yarn tube in drum-engaging position, with means for braking the spindle to a stop and contracting it so that a completely wound package may be doffed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is-a vertical cross section taken lengthwise through the winder; v

FIG. 2'is an elevational view looking endwise'into the open end of the winder drum;

FIG. 3 is a phantom view of the drum, showing the main and compensating cam slots as they-would appear if the drum were transparent; I

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the yarn guide assembly;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the yarn guide assembly;

FIG. 6 is an end view of the yarn guide assembly; and,

FIGS. 7 and 8 are diagrammatic views illustrating the constant tension action of the main and compensating guides. 1

Referring now to the drawings in which like reference numerals denote similarelements, the yarn winder 10 is supported on a base 12 having anupstanding frame 14 from which a bearing tube 16 projects laterally. The hub 18 of a hollow cylindrical drum 20 is rotatably supported on hearing tube 16 by bearings 21. Around the inner periphery of drum 20 runs a main cam groove 22 and a compensating cam groove 24 (see FIG/3), both of which inscribe a pattern which would appear as a figure 8 if the drum were transparent and could be seen through from th'e outside. The extreme throw of main cam groove 22 is twice that of compensating cam groove 24 for reasons which will be appar-.

ent hereinafter. Drum 20 isdriven by a motor 26 on which is a pulley 28. Affixed on'hub 18 is another pulley 30, the pulleys 28 and 30 being driv'ingly connected byabelt 32. I

The yarn is wound around a cardboard sleeve 34 which is engaged'over a spindle 36 which is rotatably supported on a hollow rod 38 by bearings 40. One end of hollow rod 38 is mounted on a link 42 so that when the spindle 36 upon which sleeve 34 is engaged is moved to extreme position of FIG. 2, the sleeve engages against the inner periphery of 'drum 20 so that it and the yarn wrapped therearound are driven by the drum. As the yarn package builds up on the tube, its periphery engages against the drum. Spindle 36 consists of two sections 36a and 36b slidably held end-to-end by pins 44 so that section 36b may move axially towards and away from section 36a. -A compression spring 46 engaged between a washer-like plate 48 on hollow rod 38 near its outer end and a plate 50 disposed within and driving against the innerside of sleeve section 36b normally forces section 36b towards section 36a. This squeezes soft rubber O-rings 52,53 so that they .normally expand outwardly against the inner surface, of cardboard sleeve 34 so as to holdthe latter on the tube. Across the outer end of sectfion 36b is mounted a brake shoe 56. A brake pad 58 splined as at 59 on the outer end of hollow rod-38 engages against brake shoe 56 when a plunger 60 is driven to the right, as seen in FIG. 1. As will be hereinafter discussed, when the yarn package is to be doffed, plunger 60 undergoes a two-step movement to the right, the first of which steps forces brake pad 58 against brake shoe 56 so as to stop the spindle and yarn package thereon from spinning, and the second step motion of plunger 60 to the right relieves the pressure of compression spring 56 from plate 50 so that section 36b can move to the right so as to permit O-ring 52 to assume its normal uncompressed condition. A spacer tube 54 floating between O-rings 52 and 53 likewise relieves the axial pressure'on O-ring As best seen in FIG. 2, the link 42 upon which hollow rod 38 is supported has at its free end a cam follower 62, i.e., a roller, which engages in a cam slot 64 running lengthwise of an arm 66 which is affixed on the inner end of bearing tube 16. The other end of link 42 is pivoted as at 68 to an arm 70 which is affixed on the inner end of a tube 72 which extends through the hollow interior .of bearing tube 16 and is rotatably supported therein by another tube 88 described hereinafter. On the outer end of tube 72 is an arm 74 which is pivoted at 76 to the plunger 78 of an air cylinder 80 whose other end is swiveled as at 82 to frame 14. As the yarn package increases in diameter, cam follower 62 on the free end of link 42 follows cam slot 64 upwardly and inwardly, and when it is desired to doff the package, compressed air is admitted to the lower end of cylinder 80 so that arm 70 swings counter-clockwise as seen in FIG. 2, thereby pulling cam follower 62 on the free end of link 42 into the upper end of cam slot 64, in which position the periphery of the yarn package will have been disengaged from the inner periphery of the drum. During the winding-on, compressed air may be admitted into the upper end of cylinder 80 so as to bias arm 70 in a clockwise direction (FIG. 2) so as to hold the periphery of the yarn package against the inner periphery of the drum.

The yarn guides 84 and 85 are mounted in an assembly on the free end of an arm 86 which is affixed on'the innerend of tube 88. On the outer end of'tube 88 is arm 90, and on the outer end of this arm is a cam follower 92 which engages in the cam groove 94 of a barrel cam 96. The barrel cam isslowly driven by a motor 98 on a bracket 100 rigid with arm 74. What has just been described is anti-ribboning mechanism. Motor 98 drives barrel cam 96 so that arm 90 slowlyoscillates and, in turn, arm 86 upon which the yarn guides are'supported oscillates towards and away from the yarn package as the latter is being wound. Thus the distance from the yarn guides to the periphery of the yarn package is slowly and constantly changing, not much, but enough so that the yarn does not build up in such a manner as to ribbon.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 4-6, the yarn guide mechanism includes an elongate slide bar support 102 which is attached at one end by an angle piece 104 onto arm 86. At opposite ends of slide bar support 102 are arms 106, 108. Angle piece 104 is bolted as at 110 to the free end of arm 86 and a spaced pair of slide bars 112, 114 are bolted as at 116 to spaced arms 106, 108

to provide a slot 109 therebetween. The yarn guides 84,

85 are mounted on slides 118, 120, respectively, each of which slides have a spaced pair of jaws 122, 124 on each side which fit through slot 109 and embrace the slide bars 1 12, 1 14. Each slide has a shoe 126 which engages in one of cam slots 22 or 24 in the inner periphery of drum 20. 1

The main cam slot 22 and the compensating cam slot 24 and the yarn guides driven thereby constitute a constant tension, anti-lash mechanism which 'may be understood by reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. It will be assumed that a yarn strand 128 is fed laterally over a guide 130, which is not shown in FIG. 1, but which will be assumed to be disposed to the right of the lower por-' tion of the open end of the drum so that the yarn feeds inwardly first over compensating guide 85 and then over the main guide 84 to the wrap around tube 34. At this point it will be assumed that in hooking up the yarn will first be secured onto the free end of spindle 36, and

that an aspirator and standard hook-up tools will have been used. As the tube initially, and subsequently the yarn wound thereon, are frictionally driven by the engagement with the inner periphery of drum 20, yarn guides 84 and 85 follow the tracks of earns 22 and 24. Main yarn guide 84 traverses the completelength of the yarn package whilst equalizer yarn guide 85 moves one-half of the traverse distance of the main yarn guide 84. By comparing FIGS. 7 and 8, it will be apparent that no matter where the location of main yarn guide 84, the yarn-length distance between it and the fixed yarn guide 1310 is always the same. This is because of the action of equalizer yarn guide 85. Thus, the tension on the yarn is always the same, there is no lash, and there is no windage.

When the yarn package has been completed, the cam follower 62 on the free end of link 42 will have moved upwardly and inwardly of the drum in cam slot 64. Air cylinder 80 is then energized so as to swing arm to the right, thereby pulling cam follower 62 into the extreme upper inner end of cam slot 64. Thereupon pressure fluid is fed into a cylinder 132 so as to force piston rod 134 to the right as seen in FIG. 1. Piston rod 134 engages the left-hand end of plunger 60 so that the latter is driven to the right in two steps, first forcing brake pad 58 against brake shoe 56 so as to stop rotation of the yarn package and then, upon further motion of plunger 60 to the right, the cardboard tube 34 upon which the yarn package is then wound is released from roller 36 so that the wound package may be doffed.

I claim: A

l. A yarn winder comprising a hollow open-ended drum having a cylindrical inner surface means for rotating said drum means for supporting a yarn tube within said drum for rotation about an axis parallel to the axis of the drum and for movement towards'and away from the inner surface of the drum so that yarn wound on the tube engages the inner surface of the drum yarn guide means,

means for supporting said yarn guide means within said drum in spaced relation to the tube supporting means for traversing-movement in the axial direction of the drum, 7 means for feeding yarn through the open end of the drum to the yarn guide means, and means'for traversing said yarn guide means.

2. The combination claimed in claim '1, and means for regularly varying the distance between said yarn guide means and the yarn tube supporting means, whereby to prevent ribboning of the yarn on the tube. 3. The combination claimed inclaim 1, said means for traversing said yarn guide means comprising a cam slot inscribed around the inner side of said drum, said yarn guide means having a cam follower engaging in said cam slot.

4. The combination claimed in claim 3, the means for sup-porting said yarn guide means comprising a trackway extending in the axial direction of the drum and a slide on said trackway, said cam follower comprising a shoe on said slide. 7

5. A'yarn winder comprising a hollow open-ended drum having a cylindrical inner surface, I

means for rotating said drum,

means for supporting a yarn tube within said drum for rotation about an axis parallel to the axis of the drum and for movement towards and away from the inner surface of the drum, whereby yarn wound on the tube engages the inner surface of the drum,

a first yarn guide means,

means for supporting said first yarn guide means within said drum in spaced relation to the tube supporting means for traversing movement in opposite directions axially of the drum,

means for traversing said first yarn guide means a predetermined distance corresponding to the axial length of the yarn package to be wound on the tube,

a second yarn guide means, A

means for supporting said second yarn guide means for reciprocating movements in the same directions as the traversing movements of the first yarn guide means means for guiding yarn from a fixed feed point to the second yarn guide means, the second yarn guide means being so disposed with respect to the first guide means and the feed point that yarn fed thereto from said feed point'forms a loop in passing thence to said first guide means, and means for reciprocating said second guide means in' the same directions as the traversing movements of first yarn guide means but for one-half the distance of the traverse motions of said first yarn guide means.

6. A yarn winder as claimed in claim 5,

wherein said fixed feed point is disposed on that side of the first yarn guide means which is toward the open end of the drum and the second yarn guide means is supported within said drum on that side of the first yarn guide means which is remote from the open end of the drum, the means for traversing said first yarn guide means comprising a first cam groove in the inner surface of the drum, and a cam follower therefor on said first yarn guide means,

the means'for reciprocating said second yarn guide means comprising a second cam groove in the inner surface of the drum and a cam follower therefor on said second yarn guide'means,

said first and second cam grooves enscribing closed loops having axially spaced extremities,

the spacing between the extremities of the first cam groove being twice that of the second cam groove.

7. A yarn winder as claimed in claim 5, and means for regularly varying the spacing between said first yarn guide means and the yarn tube support, whereby to prevent ribboning of the yarn wound on said tube.

8. A yarn winder'comprising a hollow drum open at one end and having a hub at the other end, 1

a fixed tubular support and bearing means rotatably supporting said hub on said support,

means drivingly connected to said hub for rotating said drum,

a first tubular member extending through said tubular support into the interior of said drum,

a first arm affixed on the inner end of said first member and extending radially outward therefrom,

a link having one end pivoted to the outer end of the first arm and another end extending away therefrom,

a roller rotatably supported on said link adjacent said other end, said roller having a rotational axis parallel to the drum axis and'being adapted to support a yarn tube thereon so that said tube or yarn wound thereon engages the inner periphery of the drum a second tubular member extending through said tubular support,

a second arm affixed on the inner end of said second member and extending radially outward therefrom in angularly spaced relation to the first arm,

means providing a slideway on the outer end of said second arm, said slideway extending in the axial direction of the drum and being disposed adjacent the inner periphery thereof, v

a cam groove in the inner periphery of the drum,

and a yarn guide including a slide on said slideway and a cam follower engaged in said cam groove said cam groove providing traversing motions for said yarn guide in opposite directions along the slideway corresponding in length to the length of the yarn package to be wound on the drum.

9. A yarn winder as claimed in claim 8,

another cam groove in the inner periphery of the drum,

and another yarn guide including a slide on said slideway and a cam follower engaged in said other cam groove, I

said other cam groove providing a reciprocating motion for said other yarn guide in the same direction as the traversing motions of the first yarn guide, but for one-half the length thereof.

10. A yarn winder as claimed in claim 8,

said fixed tubular support having an inner end extending to the interior of the drum,

a third arm affixed to the inner end of the tubular support and extending radially outward therefrom,

a cam slot in said third arm extending generally radially of the drum,

a cam follower for the cam slot on the free end of said link,

and means on the outer end of said first member for rotating the same so as to swing said first arm and thereby cam the free end of the link radially of the drum.

11. A yarn guide as claimed in claim 8,

and drive means connected to the outer end of the l second tubular member for oscillating said second arm so as to vary the distance between said yarn guide means and said roller.

12. The combination as claimed in claim 8,

a brake operatively engaged between the free end of said link and said roller,

and means extending through said tubular members for actuating said brake.

13. The combination as claimed in claim 8,

said roller having normally expanded contractable gripping means for engaging the inner side of a yarn tube thereon when expanded, and means extending through said tubular members for actuating said gripping means to contract the same. 

1. A yarn winder comprising a hollow open-ended drum having a cylindrical inner surface means for rotating said drum means for supporting a yarn tube within said drum for rotation about an axis parallel to the axis of the drum and for movement towards and away from the inner surface of the drum so that yarn wound on the tube engages the inner surface of the drum yarn guide means, means for supporting said yarn guide means within said drum in spaced relation to the tube supporting means for traversing movement in the axial direction of the drum, means for feeding yarn through the open end of the drum to the yarn guide means, and means for traversing said yarn guide means.
 2. The combination claimed in claim 1, and means for regularly varying the distance between said yarn guide means and the yarn tube supporting means, whereby to prevent ribboning of the yarn on the tube.
 3. The combination claimed in claim 1, said means for traversing said yarn guide means comprising a cam slot inscribed around the inner side of said drum, said yarn guide means having a cam follower engaging in said cam slot.
 4. The combination claimed in claim 3, the means for sup-porting said yarn guide means comprising a trackway extending in the axial direction of the drum and a slide on said trackway, said cam follower comprising a shoe on said slide.
 5. A yarn winder comprising a hollow open-ended drum having a cylindrical inner surface, means for rotating said drum, means for supporting a yarn tube within said drum for rotation about an axis parallel to the axis of the drum and for movement towards and away from the inner surface of the drum, whereby yarn wound on the tube engages the inner surface of the drum, a first yarn guide means, means for supporting said first yarn guide means within said drum in spaced relation to the tube supporting means for traversing movement in opposite directions axially of the drum, means for traversing said first yarn guide means a predetermined distance corresponding to the axial length of the yarn package to be wound on the tube, a second yarn guide means, means for supporting said second yarn guide means for reciprocating movements in the same directions as the traversing movements of the first yarn guide means means for guiding yarn from a fixed feed point to the second yarn guide means, the second yarn guide means being so disposed with respect to the first guide means and the feed point that yarn fed thereto from said feed point forms a loop in passing thence to said first guide means, and means for reciprocating said second guide means in the same directions as the traversing movements of first yarn guide means but for one-half the distance of the traverse motions of said first yarn guide means.
 6. A yarn winder as claimed in claim 5, wherein said fixed feed point is disposed on that side of the first yarn guide means which is toward the open end of the drum and the second yarn guide means is supported within said drum on that side of the first yarn guide means which is remote from the open end of the drum, the means for traversing said first yarn guide means comprising a first cam groove in the inner surface of the drum, and a cam follower therefor on said first yarn guide means, the means for reciprocating said second yarn guide means comprising a second cam groove in the inner surface of the drum and a cam follower therefor on said second yarn guide means, said first and second cam grooves enscribing closed loops having axially spaced extremities, the spacing between the extremities of the first cam groove being twice that of the second cam groove.
 7. A yarn winder as claimed in claim 5, and means for regularly varying the spacing between said first yarn guide means and the yarn tube support, whereby to prevent ribboning of the yarn wound on said tube.
 8. A yarn winder comprising a hollow drum open at one end and having a hub at the other end, a fixed tubular support and bearing means rotatably supporting said hub on said support, means drivingly connected to said huB for rotating said drum, a first tubular member extending through said tubular support into the interior of said drum, a first arm affixed on the inner end of said first member and extending radially outward therefrom, a link having one end pivoted to the outer end of the first arm and another end extending away therefrom, a roller rotatably supported on said link adjacent said other end, said roller having a rotational axis parallel to the drum axis and being adapted to support a yarn tube thereon so that said tube or yarn wound thereon engages the inner periphery of the drum a second tubular member extending through said tubular support, a second arm affixed on the inner end of said second member and extending radially outward therefrom in angularly spaced relation to the first arm, means providing a slideway on the outer end of said second arm, said slideway extending in the axial direction of the drum and being disposed adjacent the inner periphery thereof, a cam groove in the inner periphery of the drum, and a yarn guide including a slide on said slideway and a cam follower engaged in said cam groove said cam groove providing traversing motions for said yarn guide in opposite directions along the slideway corresponding in length to the length of the yarn package to be wound on the drum.
 9. A yarn winder as claimed in claim 8, another cam groove in the inner periphery of the drum, and another yarn guide including a slide on said slideway and a cam follower engaged in said other cam groove, said other cam groove providing a reciprocating motion for said other yarn guide in the same direction as the traversing motions of the first yarn guide, but for one-half the length thereof.
 10. A yarn winder as claimed in claim 8, said fixed tubular support having an inner end extending to the interior of the drum, a third arm affixed to the inner end of the tubular support and extending radially outward therefrom, a cam slot in said third arm extending generally radially of the drum, a cam follower for the cam slot on the free end of said link, and means on the outer end of said first member for rotating the same so as to swing said first arm and thereby cam the free end of the link radially of the drum.
 11. A yarn guide as claimed in claim 8, and drive means connected to the outer end of the second tubular member for oscillating said second arm so as to vary the distance between said yarn guide means and said roller.
 12. The combination as claimed in claim 8, a brake operatively engaged between the free end of said link and said roller, and means extending through said tubular members for actuating said brake.
 13. The combination as claimed in claim 8, said roller having normally expanded contractable gripping means for engaging the inner side of a yarn tube thereon when expanded, and means extending through said tubular members for actuating said gripping means to contract the same. 